Energetic Neutral Atoms from Solar Flares H. S. Hudson 1, R. P. Lin 1, A. L. MacKinnon 2, J. C. Raymond 3, A. Y. Shih 1, and Wang, L. 1 1 University of California, Berkeley; 2 University of Glasgow (UK), 3 Institute for Astronomy, Cambridge (US)

SPD 2009 Overview Mewaldt et al. (2009)* have observed ENAs from a flare for the first time. This was unexpected but highly significant - it reveals a virtually unknown parameter space (flare-associated protons below a few MeV). The flare ENAs could come from the CME shock acceleration, or from the flare  -ray sources. We are studying the ENA sources by Monte Carlo techniques. *ApJ 693, L11 (2009)

SPD 2009 Mewaldt et al. Figures The STEREO observations provide both spatial and temporal signatures that clearly identify the particles as hydrogen The injection times closely match the GOES light curve of the flare

SPD 2009 How many particles? Mewaldt et al. estimate a total of 1.8 x ENA particles (hydrogen atoms) assuming isotropic emission in a hemisphere RHESSI  -ray observations imply a total of 1.3 x protons above 30 MeV Assuming a spectral index of 3.5, this implies a total of 2 x protons above 1.6 MeV The escape efficiency of 2 MeV ENAs may be of order 10 -6

SPD 2009 Whence flare ENAs? Neutralization and re-ionization on open field lines: Mikic & Lee, 2006 Neutralization and re-ionization on closed field lines: Dennis & Schwartz,

SPD 2009 Monte Carlo simulations Neutral hydrogen and protons are alternative states of the same particle. Can successive ionizations and neutralizations allow flare ENAs to originate from the flare  -ray sources in the deep corona? If so, do the emergent ENAs retain any information about the spectrum, source structure, or time profile? Everything is very complicated, so we are trying to extract answers via Monte Carlo simulations embodying enough of the physics

SPD 2009 Proton injected at 1.2 R 2 MeV (example)

SPD 2009 What do we want to learn from the Monte Carlo model? The escape efficiency as a function of injection height and other parameters The spectrum of the escaping ENAs, ditto The angular distribution of the emerging ENAs The spatial structure of the apparent ENA source

SPD 2009 Conclusions The Mewaldt et al. (2009) result is one of the most important for flare high-energy physics in this century, since it opens a vast new parameter space Interpretation is wide open at present. Our Monte Carlo model suggests that ENA escape from the flare  -ray sources may be feasible, but it is preliminary work If the ENAs come from CME shock acceleration, we will need to revise our views of where this is happening

SPD 2009 Backup slides

SPD 2009 Mewaldt et al. Figures (II) The HET counts resemble those expected from neutron decay The LET spectrum appears to steepen > 5 MeV

SPD 2009 Some necessary physics Charge exchange vs collisions Charge exchange cross-sections (H-like and He-like only) Fe? Impact ionization  i = 2.3 x E p cm 2 (Barghouty, 2000) Fe?

SPD 2009 Notes on Monte Carlo model The calculation includes ion flight with RK4 tracing of the guiding center in a Schrijver-DeRosa PFSS model of the coronal field (Hudson et al., 2009) Ion dE/dx from Weaver & Westphal (2003); ion stripping from Barghouty (2000); charge-exchange on K-shell minor ions from Kuang (1992); ionization equilibrium from Mazzotta The plots show successive ion and neutral flights (red) for a few particles with different fates

SPD Energy decay 3. Time out 2. Footpoint ENA flight 4. Solar wind ENA flight Protons injected at 1.2 2MeV (examples)